Belarus expects lower price for Russian gas in H2

Belarus Energy Ministry does not rule out the price for Russian gas dropping in July, Belarus Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik told a press conference, BelTA has learned.

"We believe that staring from 1 July, if the situation on the Russian market unfolds the way it has been so far, the gas price will fall," said the Minister. He noted that there is a formula that is specified in the agreement between Belarus and the Russian Federation. According to this formula, the input price for gas this year has been reduced.

Today the Belarusian households pay only 20% of the costs the power engineering energy incurs to produce heat energy. Only 40% of the cost of the gas delivered to households is offset.

In 2015 the input gas price for Belarus will be $134 per 1,000 cubic meters, head of state Alexander Lukashenko informed during the open dialogue with journalists in January. Last year the Russian gas price for Belarus was about $168 per 1,000 cubic meters.

In mid-December 2014 OAO Gazprom Transgaz Belarus mentioned the signing of a three-year contract for the delivery of Russian natural gas to Belarus. in 2015 Belarus will get about 20 billion cubic meters, about the same as in 2014. According to the estimates laid down in the contract, the transit of Russian gas across Belarus this year will amount to approximately 45 billion cubic meters.